Your Personalized Skin Care Guide for a Perfect Complexion

The secret to a gorgeous complexion is knowing exactly which products to use for your skin's specific needs. Follow these skin care regimens for wrinkles, spots, and dryness.

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For Wrinkles:

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Tried-and-true line fighters like retinoids and glycolic acid are still the ticket to a smooth complexion, "but now they're blended with ingredients that calm and repair skin, which reduces irritation," says Jennifer Linder, M.D., founder of the Linder Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center in Scottsdale, AZ. This regimen works hard, but is soft on your face.

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For Wrinkles:

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Your A.M. Essential: On clean skin, apply three to four drops of a peptide serum. Like retinol, peptides are proven to trigger skin's collagen production, but unlike retinol, they don't break down on skin when exposed to sunlight, so they're ideal for day. "Look for a serum with Argireline, which is a peptide that decreases the muscle movements that lead to expression lines," says Linder.

Your P.M. Essential: Apply your same morning peptide serum, then blend on a pea-size drop of a retinol treatment. "The ingredient boosts collagen production, but it can also cause redness and dryness, so choose a cream, which is easier for skin to tolerate than gels or serums," says Graber. "Begin by using it every other night, and if your skin isn't too dry after two weeks, increase to nightly."

For Extra Help: One night a week, skip the retinol and instead swipe a peel pad with 20- percent glycolic acid all over your face for about 10 seconds—it deeply exfoliates to improve texture and fine lines. (Try Glycolix Elite Treatment Pads 20%, $31.60 for 60.) If you have sensitive skin, this gentle Kiehl's peel, which uses fruit acids and quinoa husk, was shown in one study to exfoliate just as well as 20-percent glycolic acid without irritating skin.

Don't Forget:How you apply your skin care is every bit as important as what you apply. "I've seen patients who rub and tug on their skin, and over time, those repetitive motions increase sagging," notes Gervaise Gerstner, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "Always pat—never rub—with the pads of your fingers, and around eyes, use your ring finger, which has the lightest touch."

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For Spots:

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Dealing with hyperpigmentation is like going out every day in a white silk dress: You have to take extra caution to keep spots away. "Just one day in the sun without SPF can bring back discoloration you spent months working to clear up," says Gerstner. There's no fix-it-all product, but this approach tackles every stage of the problem, so you can be even-toned and glowing.

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For Spots:

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Your A.M. Essential: Wash your face, then pat on several drops of a brightening serum that contains either vitamin C—which works double-duty by treating spots and helping to curb new ones—or kojic acid, which helps prevent pigment-producing cells from switching on. This Elizabeth Arden formula also has niacinamide, an ingredient shown in one study to fade splotches almost as well as the bleaching cream hydroquinone.

Your Best Sunscreen: Remember how we said even one day of skimping on sunscreen can bring on spots? This is why slathering on broadspectrum SPF 30 or higher every morning is crucial. "Pick a lotion with antioxidants that help even out skin— such as vitamin C, bearberry, soy, or licorice root—for some additional protection against UV-induced discoloration," says Linder.

Your P.M. Essential: Reapply your a.m. serum on clean skin, then follow with a moisturizer or treatment that contains one of these potent brighteners: azelaic acid, which inhibits tyrosinade, an enzyme that triggers melanin production; kojic acid; or niacinamide. This serum by PCA Skin brings both azelaic acid and kojic acid to your skin.

For Extra Help: To keep those cells that churn out pigment in check, Graber recommends smoothing on a weekly kojic acid mask, then letting it sit for an hour. "The longer you can leave kojic acid on your skin, the better it will work—but don't exceed an hour or it could cause irritation," she says.

Don't forget: Over-the-counter products can fade mild to moderate spots, but if you have significant discoloration, you may want to consider seeing a dermatologist for laser therapy. "One to two treatments with a Q-switch laser, spaced a month apart, can get rid of pigment spots entirely—if you then take caution to keep out of the sun so they don't return," says Graber. Prices vary greatly depending on where you live, but typically start at around $100 per spot for each session.

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For Dryness:

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As we get older—and especially after 50—our skin's oil glands slow down, as does its natural exfoliation process. This lovely combo can lead to a rough, flaky complexion—which, by the way, makes fine lines more obvious. "The key to restoring softness is to layer on products," says Gerstner. "When you put on a nourishing serum followed by a facial oil, it seals in moisture all day long."

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For Dryness:

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Your A.M. Essential: After cleansing, tap on five drops of a hydrating serum that contains glycerin or hyaluronic acid. (Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase, $59, delivers both.) Follow with eight drops of a facial oil that has borage, jojoba, or evening primrose. "These oils are high in essential fatty acids that maintain a good balance of oil and water in skin and help it stay supple," says Linder.

Your Best Sunscreen: When it comes to SPF, consistency is key—and we don't just mean wearing it every day. "Look for broad-spectrum SPF 30 in a thick cream formula as opposed to a fluid or lotion," says Gerstner. "The texture of a cream acts like a shield on top of the skin to lock in moisture." This one by L'Oréal, despite having lotion in the name, is a rich, yummy option.

Your P.M. Essential: Moisture evaporates from our skin while we sleep, so pick a night cream packed with ultra-nourishing ingredients such as jojoba oil, squalane, shea butter, or ceramides. Dab on your morning serum first, then apply a dime-size scoop of the formula.

For Extra Help: Once a week, swap your night cream for a thick overnight mask that has hyaluronic acid, which draws water to skin, and ceramides, which help hold it in. "These masks create a barrier that keeps the water and other ingredients in your skin for hours while you sleep," explains Graber.

Don't forget: If we are what we eat, then packing omega-3 fatty acids into your diet can make you a supple-skinned beauty. "These healthy fats found in salmon, avocados, and almonds hydrate cell membranes, which helps skin stay soft," Gerstner says. "Try to eat at least three servings a week of one of these foods. But remember, diet alone won't transform your skin, so keep up great skin habits, too."

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